A Quick Glance at News

v Chinese stocks swung between gains and losses as speculation the government will maintain real- estate curbs overshadowed a State Council plan to develop the nation’s central provinces.

v Asian shares rose on Thursday on bargain hunting as hopes grew for more U.S. stimulus to support growth and new European measures to contain the euro zone's debt woes, but sentiment remained frail.

v The S&P 500 fell for a fourth day and the NASDAQ dropped on Wednesday after a rare earnings stumble from Apple, while strong results from Boeing and Caterpillar lifted the Dow.

v Gold struggled to extend gains from the previous session and stood steady above $1,600 an ounce on Thursday, as investors pondered the possibility of more stimulus measures from central banks to revive a flagging global economy

v Brent hovered above $104 per barrel on Thursday, with investors anticipating more U.S. stimulus measures to support growth and on fears that tensions in the Middle East could escalate, causing supply concerns.

v Bund futures extended recent losses on Thursday with European equities poised for a higher open on expectations of more monetary stimulus while this week's ratings warning reminded investors of the challenges the debt crisis poses to Germany.

v Spanish Bank, Banco Santander SA's second-quarter profit sharply undershot expectations Thursday as the Spanish banking giant set aside almost all of its earnings as provisions against real-estate losses in its home market.

v Citigroup Inc. (C) raised its estimate of the chances Greece will drop the euro in the next 12 to 18 months to about 90 percent, with prolonged economic weakness and spillover for the euro area.

v Royal Dutch Shell Plc , Europe’s biggest oil company, reported a 13 percent decline in second- quarter earnings as crude prices dropped and maintenance work on fields held back production

v Siemens AG , Europe’s largest engineering company, said reaching its full-year earnings goal has become harder after reporting fiscal third-quarter profit and sales that fell short of analysts’ estimates

v Unilever, the world’s second-biggest consumer-goods maker, reported second-quarter sales that beat analysts’ estimates as growth of personal-care products in Asia helped offset declines in Europe.

v Hong Kong stocks drifted lower early Thursday on concerns about results in the absence of strong cues from global markets, with Sands China Ltd. leading casino shares down after its parent missed earnings estimates.

v Shares of Face book Inc. fell 6% in after-hours trading on Wednesday following a disappointing earnings report by social game maker.

v Zynga Inc. saw its shares crash by as much as 40% in after-hours trading on Wednesday after the social game maker reported lower-than-expected results for the second quarter and slashed its forecast for the full year.

v Whole Foods Market reported late Wednesday a better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter profit and raised its 2012 earnings target, indicating that sales continue to hum along. Profit was $116.8 million, or 63 cents a share, compared with $88.5 million, or 50 cents a share, in the year-ago period.

v Shares of Broadcom Corp. rose nearly 10% to $33.77 on Wednesday morning after the communications chip maker posted better-than-expected results for the second quarter and gave an in-line forecast for the current period.

v Hess Corp. said Wednesday its second-quarter profit decreased to $549 million or $1.61 a share, from $607 million, or $1.78 a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue fell to $9.3 billion, from $9.8 billion.